The Convert eBook

THE CONVERT

Mr. Purnip took the arm of the new recruit and hung
over him almost tenderly as they walked along; Mr.
Billing, with a look of conscious virtue on his jolly
face, listened with much satisfaction to his friend’s
compliments.

“It’s such an example,” said the
latter. “Now we’ve got you the others
will follow like sheep. You will be a bright
lamp in the darkness.”

“Wot’s good enough for me ought to be
good enough for them,” said Mr. Billing, modestly.
“They’d better not let me catch—­”

“I forgot,” said the other, with something
like a sigh. “No more fighting; but suppose
somebody hits me?”

“Turn the other cheek,” replied Mr. Purnip.

“They won’t hit that; and when they see
you standing there smiling at them—­”

“After being hit?” interrupted Mr. Billing.

“After being hit,” assented the other,
“they’ll be ashamed of themselves, and
it’ll hurt them more than if you struck them.”

“Let’s ’ope so,” said the
convert; “but it don’t sound reasonable.
I can hit a man pretty ’ard. Not that
I’m bad-tempered, mind you; a bit quick, p’r’aps.
And, after all, a good smack in the jaw saves any
amount of argufying.”

Mr. Purnip smiled, and, as they walked along, painted
a glowing picture of the influence to be wielded by
a first-class fighting-man who refused to fight.
It was a rough neighbourhood, and he recognized with
sorrow that more respect was paid to a heavy fist
than to a noble intellect or a loving heart.

“And you combine them all,” he said, patting
his companion’s arm.

Mr. Billing smiled. “You ought to know
best,” he said, modestly.

“You’ll be surprised to find how easy
it is,” continued Mr. Purnip. “You
will go from strength to strength. Old habits
will disappear, and you will hardly know you have
lost them. In a few months’ time you will
probably be wondering what you could ever have seen
in beer, for example.”

“I thought you said you didn’t want me
to give up beer?” said the other.

“We don’t,” said Mr. Purnip.
“I mean that as you grow in stature you will
simply lose the taste for it.”

Mr. Billing came to a sudden full stop. “D’ye
mean I shall lose my liking for a drop o’ beer
without being able to help myself?” he demanded,
in an anxious voice.

“Of course, it doesn’t happen in every
case,” he said, hastily.

Mr. Billing’s features relaxed. “Well,
let’s ’ope I shall be one of the fortunate
ones,” he said, simply. “I can put
up with a good deal, but when it comes to beer——­”

“We shall see,” said the other, smiling.

“We don’t want to interfere with anybody’s
comfort; we want to make them happier, that’s
all. A little more kindness between man and man;
a little more consideration for each other; a little
more brightness in dull lives.”